Pursuit of verified content: Covid infodemic can be as terrible as virus

Cow urine (applied or ingested), cow dung (ditto), turmeric, salt, vinegar, miracle vaccines, miracle drugs, conspiracy theories: The Covid-19 pandemic has created an “infodemic” of fake news. 

This misinformation is dangerous in itself. Refuting misinformation and preventing its spread is crucial. When a famous politician pooh-poohs masks, or someone publishes pictures of himself swimming in cow urine, they put credulous individuals at risk. (The man who refuses to wear a mask, and the man who bathed in cow urine both got the disease.) 

How does one counter infodemics? In May, the United Nations set up a global initiative, “Verified”, in collaboration with Purpose, a social mobilisation organisation, to combat the spread of misinformation around Covid-19. 

The countermeasures include promoting and sharing reliable information, as well as refuting fake news and lies. Ironically, given the proliferation of cow dung advisories in the domestic info-sphere, India was one of the first 12 nations to sign up for Verified. 

The programme signs up individuals and organisations for information dissemination. It has a panel of experts who craft advisories, almost in real-time, and sends out verified releases daily as well as weekly email updates with reliable information. 

There are three major themes to the newsletters: “Science”, which can save lives; “Solidarity”, to promote local and global cooperation; “Solutions”, to advocate support for impacted populations. The objective is that recipients of information will then share it with their own social media contacts, thus reaching a wider pool. 

The impact of misinformation is horrifying. A study in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene estimated that 5,800 people were admitted to hospital in the US in the first three months as a result of false information on social media. At least 800 people have likely died due to misinformation. People died from using drugs with dangerous side-effects; they died from drinking methanol and alcohol-based cleaning products. 

The pandemic has brought fake news to centre-stage all over again. Misinformation can be propagated faster than the virus itself. One infected person may infect a couple of others on an average. But one social media “influencer” with a large following can “infect” millions. 

To take the most glaring example, US President Donald Trump has over 87 million followers on Twitter. He suppressed information about the lethality of the virus in February. He politicised his own refusal to wear a mask. He has claimed miracle cures of his infection, via the medium of various drugs. He advocated the consumption of bleach. 

Trump has also claimed 34 times in public that “one day the virus will just disappear”. He has also repeatedly said a vaccine will be available any day. He set up a super-spreader event at the White House, where at least 30 persons, including himself, were infected. Other politicians like Jair Bolsonaro, president of Brazil, dismissed it like “a little flu” although he, his wife, and many members of his cabinet have been hospitalised. 

Apart from health-related misinformation, multiple conspiracy theories have done the rounds. Was the virus created in a lab? Was it released deliberately? The outcomes of these rumours has been racist attacks. We’ve seen many racist incidents, with Indians from the Northeast assaulted because they bear a physical resemblance to the Chinese. We have also witnessed religious tensions because politicians have selectively played up super-spreader religious gatherings. 

Social media has also seen the proliferation of misinformation from users, just seeking retweets, followers and more views. 

Combating fake news is even harder due to the lack of scientific information. Scientists are trying all sorts of drugs with varying success; dozens of vaccines are in different stages of development; healthcare systems are frantically trying to improve testing; and administrations are issuing confusing instructions for lockdowns, and opening up. Misinformation and health illiteracy both make it more difficult to fight Covid-19. Racist and communal conspiracy theories cause social and political tensions. Initiatives such as Verified (it requires just a signup) are among the small but significant steps towards ensuring access and spread of authentic information.

Fastest vaccine took four years

By the time you read this, there will be some 41 million confirmed infections worldwide. Over 1 million have already died. There are over 7 million cases in India (the No 2 hotspot) and over 115,000 deaths so far. 

Many corners are being cut in trying to fast-track Covid-19 vaccines. But there’s one insurmountable problem when it comes to shortening timelines: Before a given vaccine can be said to offer protection for say, six months, the trials must last six months at least. And medical history shows that the fastest-ever vaccine development process (mumps) took four years.